I

Bhubaneswar: After the humiliating defeat in the second phase of urban local body (ULB) polls, in which the Congress party managed to secure majority only in one civic body out of 20, AICC general secretary in-charge of Odisha BK Hariprasad on Wednesday took responsibility of the dismal show of the party.

While several senior leaders of the party have already reacted vehemently to the election results, especially in the strongholds of Western Odisha and have decided to demand an introspection on poll results before the senior leader, Hariprasad’s statement left them surprised.

“I am responsible for ULB poll failure. There are wins and defeats in democracy. Everybody knows the ways the ruling party adopted to win polls. Everything will be fine in the ensuing General elections,” AICC general secretary in-charge of Odisha BK Hariprasad told media persons here.

The senior leader, who seemingly wanted to skip media questions on party’s poll expectation and the performance of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Jayadev Jena, under whom the party fought two elections and was yet to score a big win, appeared to be straight on post-poll strategy.

“The reason (of failure) may be anything. I have asked the Pradesh Congress Committee president to submit a report on this. As soon as he gives the report we will see what has gone wrong,” quipped he.

On being asked about the party’s strategy in the forthcoming election, Hariprasad, hinting at the death of Tikiri lady teacher in Rayagada district stated, “We don’t want to disclose it. But there are a lot of issues against the ruling govt. We’ll discuss in Co-ordination committee and CLP meeting today.”

Hariprasad called upon the party leaders to concentrate on how to improve the performance of the Congress in the 2014 elections, leaving the defeats behind.

Replying to media queries on expelled leader Soumya Ranjan Patnaik’s new political outfit, he said, “He (Soumya) has floated the party and I don’t want to comment on it. Congress has seen many such cases in the past and it will not affect the party.”